Our Commitment

In an effort to listen and respond to the needs of the Community, we are proud to offer patients safe and reliable, non-emergent medical transportation to health care appointments. Gila River Health Care medical transportation drivers are typically Gila River Indian Community members sensitive to patient needs, understand the culture, and are very familiar with roadways and routes throughout the seven districts and surrounding communities.

All transportation requests and changes must be made by the patient, parent/guardian, appointed care taker or health care provider.

The patient’s request must include a reason for transport. Gila River Health Care requires that an exact diagnosis be provided and confirmed for billing and eligibility purposes.

The patient must live within the CHSDA boundaries. For AHCCCS patients, if the entire transport exceeds 100 miles roundtrip, prior written authorization is needed from the patient’s referring healthcare provider. See the CHSDA map.

Patients are limited to one person to escort them to their appointments. If the patient is a child or a parent to children under the age of 13 and unable to make childcare arrangements, the patient may have more than one escort but not to exceed more than four escorts. If an escort (s) is seen by a medical provider on the same trip as the patient, the escort must disclose this information in order for Transportation to bill for their transport.

Any patient under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian with them during transport. Exceptions are made for patients over the age of 16 with signed parental/guardian notarized consent for designated clinics/providers that will see minors without a parent or guardian present.

Patients that do not qualify for MTS NEMT services may contact the following vendors that accept AHCCCS.

Gila

Contact Health Service Locations

Off Reservation - Non CHSDA

* May include legal spouse from another tribe

*

CONTRACT HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY AREA - MAP

Making Transportation Arrangements

Important Eligibility Requirements

Exception for Gila River Indian Community Members:

• If you are not Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)/American Indian Health Program (AIHP) eligible

• If you are a GRIC member, transportation services will be available for all covered medical appointments, provided you reside in the (CHSDA). This also includes physician-prescribed Wellness appointments.

• If you are an Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) patient, transportation arrangements must be scheduled through your Case Manager

Scheduling Policy

Eligible transportation requests must be made by 2 pm two (2) business days before your appointment. Reservations can be made anytime before the deadline.

For example, if you know about your appointment two weeks in advance, call us, and we will gladly make your reservation.

Cancelling Trips

If you can’t make your trip, please call to cancel at least two hours before the scheduled pickup time. This will help the driver go directly to patients ready for pick-up.

To cancel transportation, call the Clerk line at 520.562.3321 Ext.1384. If a Clerk does not immediately answer, leave a voicemail using option #2 and a Clerk will promptly cancel your pick-up appointment.

In addition to patients, caregivers and patient doctors and nurses may cancel trips when calling with the patient’s authorization.

Making Transportation Arrangements

Booking Timeline

If your appointment is on... Call

Monday Thursday

Tuesday Friday

Wednesday Monday

Thursday Tuesday

Friday Wednesday

Saturday Thursday

Sunday Thursday

Holidays

The reservation booking timeline is a guide for weeks when there are no holidays.

Should a holiday fall on a business day (Monday - Friday) and Gila River Health Care is closed, patients must make transportation arrangements one day earlier than shown on the booking timeline.

When there is a two-day holiday (such as Thanksgiving), reservations must be made two days before the deadline shown below.